NHL NEWS MARCH 2, 2023 – ANOTHER GAME, ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT FOR CONNOR McDAVID

Connor McDavid (2-1—3) factored on each of Edmonton’s first-period goals to register his 21st career three-point period and fifth consecutive multi-goal game to help the Oilers (33-21-8, 74 points) defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 and leapfrog the idle Kraken (33-21-6, 72 points) for third place in the Pacific Division. Seattle holds two games in hand.

• McDavid, who owns a 10-goal lead in the 2022-23 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race, became the first player in Oilers history to register five consecutive multi-goal games, breaking a tie with Wayne Gretzky (4 GP in 1984-85).
• Tuesday marked the 21st time the Oilers captain notched three-plus points in a period and stands as one of eight players in the past 30 years to register as many instances. The others: Jaromir Jagr (47), Mario Lemieux (34), Sidney Crosby (24), Teemu Selanne (23), Paul Kariya (22), Alex Ovechkin (21) and Patrick Kane (21).
• McDavid has 17 three-point games in 2022-23 and sits one shy of his highest in a single season (18 GP in 2020-21). Only four other players have had as many three-point games in a campaign since 2000-01: Nikita Kucherov (18 GP in 2018-19 w/ TBL), Joe Thornton (18 GP in 2006-07 w/ SJS & 2005-06 w/ BOS/SJS), Jaromir Jagr (18 GP in 2005-06 w/ NYR) and Joe Sakic (19 GP in 2000-01 w/ COL).

MERCER EXTENDS GOAL STREAK TO SEVEN, DEVILS EARN 40TH WIN OF 2022-23

Dawson Mercer scored one of New Jersey’s seven tallies to extend his goal streak to seven games as the Devils earned their 40th win in just their 60th contest of 2022-23 – establishing a new franchise benchmark for fewest games to the mark (previously 62 GP in 2008-09). New Jersey (40-15-5, 85 points), which joined Boston as the second team to reach 40 wins in 2022-23, moved within one point of Carolina (39-12-8, 86 points) for first in the Metropolitan Division.

• Mercer, who tied Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov and Leon Draisaitl for the longest run by any player in 2022-23, moved within one of tying Paul Gardner (8 GP in 1977-78 w/ CLR) for the longest goal streak in Devils/Rockies/Scouts history. The last season to feature a player age 21 or younger with a longer run was 1981-82 when both Wayne Gretzky (9 GP) and Ron Flockhart (8 GP) did so.
• New Jersey scored seven goals in a game for the second time in as many contests (also 7-0 W vs. PHI on Feb. 25) – a feat they achieved for the fifth time in franchise history (2 GP on Feb. 8-10, 2022; Feb. 5-10, 1994; Oct. 29-30, 1986 & March 6-8, 1986).

RANGERS, GOLDEN KNIGHTS EARN WINS

On Tuesday Mika Zibanejad (1-0—1) scored his 100th career power-play goal as the Rangers (35-17-9, 79 points) earned their eighth third-period comeback win of the season and Reilly Smith record his 15th game winner in a Golden Knights uniform to allow Vegas (36-19-6, 78 points) to maintain its position atop the Western Conference on Women’s History Knight – a game created to celebrate the start of Women’s History Month.

With one day remaining until the 2022-23 NHL Trade Deadline Presented by OFX (3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 3), a number of household names were on the move including Jonathan Quick, who was traded to the Blue Jackets after a decorated 16-plus season career with the Kings. Quick is one of just two goaltenders in NHL history with at least two Stanley Cups (2012 & 2014), two William M. Jennings Trophies (2014 & 2018) and the Conn Smythe Trophy (2012). The other: Patrick Roy.

• Jakob Chychrun was traded to the Senators by the Coyotes. He leads all blueliners from the 2016 NHL Draft class in goals (60) and had 60-110—170 through 373 career games in Arizona – which stood as the fourth-most points by a Coyotes skater since he entered the NHL in 2016-17.
• For a full list of trades that took place Wednesday, check out NHL.com’s 2022-23 Trade Tracker.

BRUINS SET SIGHTS ON CENTURY MARK IN BOSTON

The NHL-leading Bruins (47-8-5, 99 points) will look to become the fastest team in NHL history to reach 100 points in a season when they clash with the Sabres (31-24-4, 66 points) at TD Garden during a 10-game slate.

• With a point Thursday, Boston can be the first team to reach 100 points in a season (outright or tied) for the seventh time in NHL history – most recently doing so in 2019-20. Montreal and Detroit pace all franchises, having hit the mark first in a campaign eight times each – the last time the Canadiens accomplished the feat was in 2014-15 and the Red Wings was in 2008-09.
• The Bruins can require the fewest contests in NHL history to reach the 100-point mark in a season. Boston’s current best is 63, achieved in 1971-72 en route to its fifth Stanley Cup championship.

“SHOWTIME” SET FOR BROADWAY DEBUT, WILL REUNITE WITH PANARIN

Patrick Kane (16-29—45 in 54 GP), who was acquired by the Rangers in a trade Tuesday, is expected to make his Rangers debut Thursday while skating on a line with former Blackhawks teammate Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Kane spent his first 16 seasons with Chicago where he ranks second on its all-time points list and was a key contributor to three Stanley Cup championships.

• Kane and Panarin were teammates for two seasons (2015-16 – 2016-17). Their first campaign as linemates in 2015-16 was a memorable one, with Panarin registering the second-highest point total by a Blackhawks rookie en route to the Calder Trophy (30-47—77 in 80 GP), while Kane posted his first 100-point season to capture the Hart Trophy and become the first U.S.-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy.
• Over those two seasons as linemates, Kane and Panarin factored on the same goal 102 times, double the next pair of Blackhawks teammates (51: Kane and Artem Anisimov) and more than any other duo in the League. Kane (45) has assisted on more Panarin goals than any other player.
• Kane enters the contest having scored multiple goals in three of his last four appearances (7-3—10 in 4 GP). Thirteen players have recorded two-plus goals in their Rangers debut, with just three doing so in the 2000s or later: Derek Stepan (3 on Oct. 9, 2010), Ryane Clowe (2 on April 3, 2013) and Brendan Shanahan (2 on Oct. 5, 2006). The most points by a player in their Rangers debut is four: Derick Brassard (April 3, 2013) and Doug Bentley (Jan. 20, 1954).

RED WINGS ACQUIRE FIRST-ROUND SELECTION IN 2024 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

The Detroit Red Wings today acquired a first-round selection in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft from the Boston Bruins in exchange for left wing Tyler Bertuzzi. The Red Wings will retain 50 percent of Bertuzzi’s salary.

Bertuzzi, 28, has been limited to 29 games this season due to injury, recording 14 points (4-10-14) and 23 penalty minutes in 16:29 average time on ice. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound forward ranked among the team leaders during the 2021-22 campaign with 30 goals (2nd), 32 assists (5th), 62 points (2nd), 47 penalty minutes (T3rd), six power play goals (T1st), 14 power play points (3rd), one shorthanded goal (T1st), five game-winning goals (1st), 180 shots (4th) and 19:52 average time on ice (4th) in 68 games. Originally selected by the Red Wings in the second round (58th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Bertuzzi represented Detroit at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game and compiled 202 points (88-114-202) along with 189 penalty minutes in 305 games since 2016-17. The Sudbury, Ont., native also registered 82 points (32-50-82) and 204 penalty minutes in 137 games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins from 2014-18, in addition to 39 points (23-16-39) and 68 penalty minutes in 42 postseason contests. He helped the Griffins win the 2017 Calder Cup championship and was named the recipient of the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most-valuable player in the playoffs after collecting 19 points (9-10-19) and 50 penalty minutes in 19 postseason games. Prior to turning professional, Bertuzzi skated four seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm, earning 172 points (71-101-172), a plus-35 rating and 325 penalty minutes over 201 games from 2011-15. Bertuzzi won an OHL title with the Storm in 2014 alongside Red Wings forwards Robby Fabbri and Pius Suter, and was named an OHL Second-Team All-Star the following year after notching 98 points (43-55-98) in 68 games in his final season of major junior hockey. On the international stage, Bertuzzi made five appearances for Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.